268 
THE GEOLOGIST. 
recognized it as Reptilian. Mr. Davis, of the British Museum, drew Mr. 
Huxley's attention to it as being probably Archegosaurian. It is not 
well preserved, but on careful study proves to be an amphibian allied 
to Archegosaurus ; differing, however, from it in the form of the head, 
the extent to which the ossification of the vertebral column has pro- 
ceeded, and in the character of the dermal armour. This animal was 
about 44 inches long. 
3. " On the Land Flora of the Devonian Period in K'orth-eastern 
America." By J. W. Dawson, LL.D., F.G.S. 
First noticing what was formerly known of the Devonian Plant-remains 
in the States of iSTew York and Pennsylvania (Hall, Vanuxem, and 
Rogers), in Gaspe (Logan), in iSTew Brunswick and Maine (Gesner, Eobb, 
Bennett, Hartt, Matthew, and Hitchcock), the author stated that with 
Messrs. Hartt, Matthew, and others at St. John's, he had lately examined 
the productive localities near that city, and is now enabled to add largely 
to the account of the Devonian plants he had already published in the 
' Canadian Naturalist,' vol. vi. 186L He now enumerates about 70 
species (32 genera) of plants as occurring in the Upper Devonian of 
Pennsylvania, ^ew Brunswick, Maine, New York, and Gaspe, in the 
Middle Devonian of New York and Gaspe, and in the Lower Devonian 
of Gaspe. Of these 70 species, two {Psilojohyton princeps and Cordaites 
angustifoUa) are referred also to the Upper Silurian of Gaspe ; and 10 
(not including these two) reappear in the Carboniferous strata. The 
Devonian Flora miich resembles in general facies that of the Carboniferous 
period. In the Lower Devonian series the underclays are filled with the 
rhizomes of Psilophyton, in the Upper Devonian with SigiUaricB and 
Catamites (as in the Coal-measures;. The Devonian Flora is less per- 
fectly preserved than that of the Coal-measures, and is probably as yet 
very imperfectly known ; it presents more resemblance to the floras of the 
Mesozoic period and of modern tropical and austral islands than the Coal- 
plants present. The facies of the Devonian flora in North America 
is very similar to that of the same period in Europe. 
Among the Devonian plants of North-east America, Dr. Dawson 
recognizes an angiospermous dicotyledon {Syringoxylon mirahile, nov. gen. 
et sp.), established on a fragment of fossil wood collected by Pi'ofessor 
James Hall from a limestone of the Upper Hamilton Group, at Eighteen- 
mile Creek on Lake Erie. 
4. " On some Upper Eocene Fossils from the Isle of Wight." By 
Professor Dr. F. Sandberger. In a Letter to W. J. Hamilton, Esq., For. 
Sec. G.S. 
The result of Professor Sandberger's examination of a collection 
of these fossils, carefully named by Mr. F. E. Edwards and forwarded by 
Mr. Hamilton, has been to confirm him iii his opinion that the upper 
beds at Hempstead, Isle of Wight, are the exact equivalent of the marine 
beds at Weinheim, Jeurres, and Bergh {Meupelien inferieur, of Dumont). 
The freshwater limestone of Bembridge and Sconce appears to correspond 
to the beds at Buxweilar (Alsace) and Abstadt (Baden) ; and the fossils 
from Headon Hill and Colwell Bay probably belong to the level of 
Dumont's Tongrien inferieur (Lethen and Westergeln) et supeHeur 
(Marues superieur au gypse). 
May 21. — The following communications were read : — 
1. " On the Metamorphic Eocks of the Banff'shire Coast, the Scarabins, 
and a portion of East Sutherland." By Professor E. Harkness, F.E.S., 
F.G.S. The coast-section from Gamrie to Buckie was first described ; it 
consists mainly of folded gneiss and grauwacke sandstone and shale, with 
